Jigawa PDP Rejects Polls Results, We Won Fair And Square, APC Insists

By Mohammed Abubakar Dutse

The main opposition People’s Democratic Party, (PDP,) in Jigawa state has rejected “in totality” the outcome of the Saturday’s by-election into the Babura/Garki Federal Constituency in the state.

The State Publicity Secretary of the party Umar Kyari in Dutse on Sunday said the PDP’s rejection of the outcome was reached after careful study of the preparations, conduct and execution of the processes after which Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC,) which declared Rabi’u Mukhtar Garki, the candidate of APC as the winner.

PDP alleged “vote-buying and intimidation” amongst other electoral frauds that characterized the conduct of the polls, saying,” PDP has observed how APC used state power and indulged heavily in vote buying, intimidation of voters as well as their harassment during the exercise.

“The PDP is therefore calling on it’s entire supporters in the state as well as lovers of democracy to remain calm as it takes all necessary actions and measures to re-claim it’s stolen mandate which they gave to the party during last Saturday’s election.”

However, the two members of the House of Representatives from the state, Makki Yaleman and Sani Fulawa Nazifi dismissed PDP’s allegations as “the rantings of a drowning party, insisting that the ruling party won the fair and square.

In a separate chat with newsmen at the venue of the ongoing government/ civil engagement forum in Kazaure, Northwest Jigawa on Sunday, the two lawmakers urged the PDP to accept defeat and congratulate the winner.

According to Yellaman, Chairman of the House Committee on Police Affairs, who represents Malammadori/ Kaugama Federal Constituency in the Green Chambers, the victory of the APC was a product of hardwork and strategic thinking.

He rejected the allegation of “heavy deployment of state resources” and intimidation saying the party’s victory was an indication of unity within the ruling party in the state.

Similarly, Sani Fulawa, who represents Gagarawa/Gumel/Maigatari/Sule Tankarkar in the Green Chambers commended INEC for a good conduct of the polls and dismissed the PDP’s statement of voter intimidation.

For him, the outcome of the Saturday’s by-election was an indication of the acceptance of the policies of the APC-led administration in the state. He urged the people of the state to continue to support the policies and programmes of the state governor, Umar Namadi.